Card Imagery Description

You have got to hand it to this Figure in the Nine of Pentacles for she has doggedly stuck with the plan. She has studied, saved, studied more, focused and kept her head down. She has gained, lost and gained again. She has picked herself up after falling and failing, dusted herself down and got back out there. She had been determined and relentless in the pursuit of her goal. She is the ultimate success story.

While the Wands were running amok, the Cups lost in love and blowing their money on partying and romancing, the Swords tying themselves up in knots, the Figure in the Nine of Pentacles has kept her feet firmly on the ground and steadily and quietly arrived at her destination. Her crops (her hard work and effort) have yielded well and her harvest is bountiful. As she approaches the closing stages of her cycle, her Pentacles are flourishing beyond her wildest dreams. Her original planting has sprouted and has very possibly grown in several directions creating even more bumper harvests and even greater success.

The Figure is now at leisure to enjoy the fruits of her labours and all they can afford her. We can see her lovely house in the background and the beautiful countryside environment she has chosen to live in. She has achieved this success all on her own and is quite happy to enjoy it on her own as well. She is self-reliant and can be alone without been lonely. In fact she enjoys her own company so much she may find it difficult to share it with anyone else. She surrounds herself with objects of luxury and beauty and gains immense pleasure in all that she possesses.

Success, prosperity and luxury are strong features of the Nine of Pentacles and the Figure can afford it all with plenty to spare. Her sustained efforts have made her financially secure not just for now but in the future too. Her gown is rich and expensive and she moves with a gentle grace suggesting that she can now take her time. Refined and elegant she walks with a noble gait, for she is Queen of her environment.

The hard work is now done and she may retire or better still, develop that hobby that she has never had the time for. She has the freedom of choice now, and there is no urgency or stress in her life. She calls the shots and suits herself for this time is now about her. She has given her all for a long time and is now ready to take her just rewards. she will think nothing of splashing out on expensive items and pampering herself for she has earned it. No one can deny her this success even if we do envy her position. It is there for the taking for all of us should we want it bad enough.

The Figure fondly strokes a Pentacle representing the beautiful and luxurious goods that her money has afforded her. Vines with bunches of ripe grapes grow abundantly suggesting the prosperity she has created and now enjoys. She is safe, secure and where she wants to be. She may no longer be young and perhaps realises that she has sacrificed a good deal of her life in hard work, but so what she may rightly think? Look at what she has now. She understands the price she has paid to get where she is; the lack of travel and frivolous holidays with friends and the lost opportunities for fun-filled romance. She has sacrificed part of her freedom over the years which is symbolised by the hooded falcon resting on her hand. The walled gardens suggest the security her status has brought her, but also that she may have cut herself off from others to reach her goal. These walls may symbolise how well she guards her possessions and achievements. They will keep intruders and thieves out.

A Snail moves slowly across the well manicured lawn. The Snail is symbolic of the time it takes to reach a target or goal. Some things just can’t be hurried and it teaches us the Lesson of Tenacity and Patience. When we are working hard towards a goal it sometimes seems that life has stood still and we are getting nowhere. We look around and everyone seems to be moving faster than we are. This is when people give up or give in because they don’t see the results quickly enough. However, the Snail knows better. If we stare at the Snail it may appear that he is not moving at all, but it is for certain he is making quiet progress, even if it is not obvious. If we look away and distract ourselves for a short while before looking back, we will see that the snail has indeed moved if not gone altogether. As he sets off across the garden, he knows it will take him much time to get to the other side but this does not stop him making the journey. The snail is making his way to where he will feast on all the rich vegetation, so is quite certain it will be worth the effort. This takes us to another aspect of the Snail.

The Figure in the Nine of Pentacles stands in a well manicured garden in which her prize crops and plants flourish. A snail can wreak havoc in a garden and we must wonder why she has not taken steps to address this obvious threat. The Snail may be telling us that she does not have control over everything, regardless of her financial status and position. Money can’t buy you everything. Mother Nature is a law onto herself and will not be contained. On the other hand, the Figure, being a Pentacle, has a deep understanding and tolerance of nature and animals. Therefore she may have learned to live in balance and harmony with her surroundings instead of trying to suppress it.

The Figure depicted in the Nine of Pentacles is a picture of health, and rightly so, for she has looked after her body, nourishing it and getS plenty of outdoor exercise. As this Card is a Nine, it suggests the end of a cycle. The woman may be entering her menopausal years as she naturally slows down, but this Card can also herald pregnancies and the imminent arrival of a baby due to its Nine association.

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Below is a continuation from The Eight of Pentacles Story. Many years have passed since we last visited the Stone Mason. He was on the brink of incredible success and was working flat-out, his wife too. Following in his father’s footsteps, his son had begun training as a Stone Mason. His daughter wild and restless, had not made any plans. We do know that he had bought a plot of land and was working on the design of a house he would move to with his family. He was in the process of handing over his current property and workshop buildings to the community to provide training for the local unemployed. He wanted to build somewhere really nice and special for his retirement. Yes, even though he was close to being a workaholic, he did intend slowing down at some stage so that he could enjoy the perks of his success…..

Story – What happened Next for the Stone Mason and his Family.

As we arrive at the scene of the Nine of Pentacles, it is a beautiful sunny day, not a cloud in the sky and the air shimmers with the heat of the afternoon sunshine. We are on vacation in a beautiful area of the countryside and while having our breakfast in the hotel dining room we ask about the best place to go for a walk. The young waitress has a quick think before telling us about a particular area that has beautiful views and scenery. She also tells us that it’s where all the ‘big monied people’ live. ‘Oh you should see the fantastic houses out that way’ she says. ‘They are like palaces. You would need to be very wealthy to own a property there. You know, there are even a few celebrities living there too ‘ She sighs as she pours our coffee. ‘On my wages, all I would be able to afford would be a postcard of that area and nothing else’. As she heads back to the kitchen she jokes back to us. ‘If you find any stray rich men wandering around out there, make sure to bring one back for me’. And with that she is gone through the swinging doors.

Well, that is sorted then we agree and hurry back to our rooms to prepare for our walk and whatever adventure the day has in store for us. Our hotel is in the town so we have to walk for some time before we get out into the open countryside. We have a small map which was kindly given to us by the hotel receptionist and a packed lunch supplied by the chefs in the kitchen.

Oh, but it is a glorious day and it is so wonderful to be out in nature, getting some fresh air and that lovely warm sunshine on our faces. The further we walk the land becomes more lush and the scenery begins to change from sparse hedgerows and flat fields, to avenues of tall deciduous trees in full leaf and rolling hills. Every turn and twist on the road reveals more natural wonders to our delighted eyes. Powerful, sleek and shiny horses graze lazily in fields, their silky long tails swishing back and forth as they munch away. We stop to talk to them and one wanders slowly over to check us out, while the other momentarily raises its head before returning to its food. It is obviously not impressed with us.

As we walk on, the road begins to climb and we can feel the pull on on our leg muscles as they take the strain. We then spot our first house, but just barely, for it is tucked away behind high trees and an almost equally high electric gate. As we are admiring the beautifully trimmed hedges and flowering shrubbery, the gates suddenly open and out drives an expensive looking jeep pulling a horse-box. We try not to look too obvious or nosy but grab a quick look in through the gate at the long stud-railed avenue that leads up to a stunning house surrounded by meticulously landscaped gardens. The gate closes and the jeep is gone. We continue to walk, talking now about what it must be like to live in one of those houses and the money that would be needed to maintain it. We discuss where the people may have got such money and we argue about whether it was inherited money are hard-worked for.

Our discussion comes to a stop when our breath is taken away by the vision that lies to our left at the bottom of a valley. It is a long, long way down from the roadside we stand on. We decide, we have to go there and take a better look, for it is just stunning from where we are standing. So we walk the meandering roads, taking turns here and there as directed by the map. The hills are much higher as we climb the steep roads. They look almost like mountains and are covered in a shimmer of purple heather. We are much closer to the lake now but it is still far down below us. From where we stand, the water looks almost black. There is a small sand-like beach area on one side and A sheer mountainous cliff face on the other. It is magical, just like a scene from a mystical movie.

A track or road appears to run from the lake and disappears into a small wood. The land around the lake is quite wide and sloping. We see movement in the fields and think it to be horses or cattle. We know we are taking a chance, and that the land we are about to enter is private, but we just have to get a closer look and take some photos of the lake. We hop over the low stone wall that borders the land and begin to scramble downhill towards the lake. Laughing and nervous all at the same time we are excited about our adventure and forge on. We keep climbing down but eventually are forced to stop for the land suddenly falls away before us. We find ourselves at the side of a sheer drop. This is as far as we can go without putting ourselves into mortal danger but decide it is an ideal place for us to picnic at.

We spread our rug on the soft grass and lay out our lovely lunch under the blue skies and silently watch the scene below us. Again we see the movement of animals but can now identify them. To our amazement, a herd of deer move together across the field towards the lake and our cameras come out again. We pull out the mini binoculars which we had almost forgotten were in the bottom of our bag and take a closer look. The lake and surrounding area is too fabulous to put into words. We are speechless and humbled by its incredible natural beauty. Looking through my binoculars, I decide to follow the path or roadway that meanders away from the lake. I follow it to the woods where it disappears but I raise my binoculars and adjust the focus to see past the woods. There it is, a long, low house surrounded by a walled garden. ‘Wow’ is all that I can say. Someone is actually living down there and in the most beautiful house you can imagine. I further adjust the binoculars to get an even closer look. I can see another roadway that runs from the house and up the side of the hill to an entrance onto the road we had been walking. ‘So that is how it is accessed’ I say to no one in particular. ‘Now that is what I call a house and what a garden! Imagine having a lake in your back garden and a herd of deer’? I am almost overcome with envy. ‘ I just can’t begin to think of or guess how much a place like that would cost.’ I say, shaking my head at the notion of ever being able to afford something so amazing.

I know I am being cheeky and intruding on private property but I want to see as much as I can. Straining my eyes through the binocular lens, I study the house once more and the walled garden surrounding it. I just can’t get enough of it and am hit by another wave of intense envy at the people who are lucky enough to live there. What a charmed existence they must have, what an idyllic lifestyle. Suddenly there is movement at the back of the house and I jump back fearing that I will be seen but it is just the binoculars, for we are too far away and well hidden in the bushes. No one knows we are here and we are confident we can’t be seen. I look back into the binoculars and this time I see a woman in the garden below. Now I am very curious. She might be a celebrity; an actress, a singer for all we know. She moves further into the garden and slowly walks towards the flowering plants and shrubbery. She is wearing a long elegant robe which flows behind her as she moves. She is not a young woman but has obviously looked after herself well. She moves with an air of Refinement and confidence. Her whole looks suggest money, and plenty of it. Is she the owner of this incredible place we wonder? She has her left arm raised and appears to be holding something but I cannot make out what it is. Oh, if only we could get closer.

I want to get closer but my friend is beginning to get nervous. ‘What if we get caught?’ she worryingly asks. Agreeing she has a point I calm down and resign myself to our picnic blanket and the rest of our lunch. Oh, I would give anything to live in a place like that’ I declare as we eat our little pastries. ‘ I don’t know, I am not sure if I would like to be so isolated’ replies my friend. ‘It must get very lonely down there, even if it is a beautiful place’ she continues. ‘ I wouldn’t mind being on my own if I had luxurious surroundings as such and plenty of money to buy whatever I want. That would be all the company I need’ says I, but my friend comes back with ‘but is she happy, really happy do you think?’. ‘Why wouldn’t she be happy?’ I am astounded by the notion that she might not be happy. I realise now that I am quite a material girl. Whereas I see the luxury, splendour and glamour which would definitely make me happy, my friend is thinking about needing people around her and a simpler life in order for her to be happy. We discuss and argue this point for some time, me saying that I would move in tomorrow and my friend wanting something a little more normal and going on and on about money not being everything. We agree to disagree on this one and decide in the end that it is all down to personality, priorities and what we consider would make us the most happiest. It is bound to be different for everyone.

As the girls chatter away, down below in the garden of the house beside the lake walks the woman in the long robe. Earlier that morning, she had waved goodbye to her husband as he drove up the long driveway to the main road. He was on his way to the airport where he had a plane to catch for the USA. Her husband was meeting with a well-known movie maker in Los Angeles to discuss the intricacies of Medieval Stone Masonry for authenticity on a movie set that was being designed and built for a big budget production. He would be gone for two weeks. Officially he was retired but everyone knew he was the best in the business and so the calls continued to come and he continued to be tempted by the more interesting projects. These projects took him all over the world and away from home for weeks at a time. The woman was used to that and was quite happy for him to go. She had plenty to occupy herself with anyway and was very self-reliant. She liked these times when she was on her own because it helped keep her sense of independence and self-identity. She looked forward to the peace and quiet of the coming two weeks.

She knew her husband did not take on these projects because he needed the work. It most certainly was not for the money at this stage for they were financially very secure, if not incredibly wealthy. Her husband went because he loved his work and it gave him an interest. It also gave him money whether he needed it or not. There was a saying he used often over the years ‘if you have nothing, then it is hard to get anything but if you have something, it is easy to get more’. She knew how true this saying was for now that they wanted for nothing, had more money than they needed, the money still came in and in large amounts. They didn’t really have to make much effort at all now. All the hard work had been done in the past and now they were really beginning to enjoy their rich rewards. They were financially successful and their very success seemed to breed more success. No matter what they did turned out to be a success. Success followed them now but they had experienced failure too. Before the woman had met her husband, he had lost everything, and had, for a while, been living rough on the street. He had been a victim of the recession, gone from an up and coming, much in demand, Stone Mason, to losing his job, his house and having no money or food to eat, in a very short space of time.

Life was indeed hard for him. He felt very demoralised after working so hard, for so long, and then ending up with nothing to show for it. As a very young man, a long time before the woman knew him, he had a dream, a vision, a goal that he was determined to realise. He had started off with just the shirt on his back and a small inheritance left to him by his grandfather, also a Stone Mason. He was determined to follow in his grandfather’s footsteps and become a Stone Mason himself. He had saved his inheritance and worked hard so that he would have enough money to see him through his apprenticeship. He had lived a very quiet life back then; working all day, studying, sleep and then back to work the next morning and the same thing over and over again. He was determined and had learned much from his grandfather. He knew he had years ahead of him where he would earn very little but that if he stuck with it, he would eventually qualify and the world would then be his oyster. If it hadn’t been for the recession back in The Five of Pentacles, it would all have worked out as planned no doubt, but then again, who knows where he would be now and what he would be doing? He had always wanted to work for himself so the woman is very sure he would have set up in business, maybe not what he is doing now or has done, but no doubt something similar. She knew her husband well and was very proud of what he had achieved.

After she had closed the door that morning, the woman enjoyed a leisurely breakfast and read through the post. She picked out her favourite Horticulture Magazines that arrived each month and relished flicking through the pages, reading articles here and there that caught her fancy. The sunlight poured through her kitchen window and she sat there for some time staring out at the tall rock face that bordered the lake behind the woods. She was alone in the house and would be for most of the time her husband would be away. Her daughter would visit maybe once or twice but she was a busy girl and did not have much time. She ran a very successful stud farm along with looking after her young children. She also helped her horse-trainer husband when she could. It was great to see her when she called, but the woman understood how busy she was. She had been like that herself when she was younger, and she too had young children to raise, a business to run and also helped her Stone Mason Husband.

After breakfast, she took a long soak in the magnificent roll-topped bathtub. It was antique and had cost a fortune to restore but it was worth it. As she lay in the bath, she thought back to when the house was first built and the fun she had decorating it bit by bit. They had wanted only the best in the house. They preferred quality instead of quantity and both had a keen eye for style. Her husband’s weakness was art and he had made substantial expensive purchases over the years. These beautiful paintings now hung on the walls in their dream home and they never tired of admiring their beauty. The woman’s own weakness was antiques and she had carefully planned the interiors to incorporate magnificent pieces that she had searched long and hard for.

They had both agreed that a time would come when they would cut back their workload and live a more leisurely lifestyle. They loved their work and careers but they also wanted to explore others aspects of their personalities. They had hobbies and wanted to spend more time developing them. They also just wanted to relax and not be constantly pushing themselves. However, none of this could be done until the had achieved what they set out to do, so they kept their heads down and kept going. They would not stop until they had enough money to enjoy a financially secure retirement.

The house had been their dream, their ultimate goal and it was to be a testimony to all they had worked for and achieved.They knew what they had wanted in a property and the kind of location for it. They had talked about it for over 15 years and it seemed nearly as long finding the right place once they had decided the time was right. They could have bought several sites over the years and thrown up a variety of perfectly acceptable luxury houses but they had very specific requirements. They would wait until the perfect one arrived. Patience was something they were very familiar with and they both agreed that nothing of value ever comes easily. They had individually, painstakingly set up small businesses and then worked harder than they thought possible to make those businesses grow and grow. They were both ambitious and worked well as a team. They supported each other and made little personal demands for they knew they were working towards a mutual goal.

After her long soak in the bath, the woman spent some time in her dressing room, choosing what she would wear. Today, it had to be something exquisite she thought. She had a group of foreign horticulturist enthusiasts coming for a private viewing of her garden. She would also host lunch and give a short talk. Since she had handed over the reins of her preserve making business and cookery school to her daughter-in-law, she had indulged her interest in growing rare specimens of fruit bushes. Her walled garden now boasted a selection of exotic fruits and it was the rare specimen grapes that everyone was coming to see and taste today. It had cost a lot of money to first find and then cultivate them but she enjoyed every second of it.

She chose a beautiful deep orange silk long robe with a red crushed velvet collar. The robe was hand embroidered with red flowers and symbols of Venus. On her head she placed a matching hat. Slowly and gracefully she walked out through the large glass doors and into the garden where she stood in the sunshine for a few minutes, breathing in the heavenly scents of her flourishing garden. She then moved to a large building at the far side of the garden and opened the door. Inside, she took a long yellow leather glove from a hook and preceded to open the door of a cage close by. Moving slowly and purposefully she entered the cage and held out her gloved hand. Out of the dark there was a ruffle of feathers and a whooshing noise. A falcon landed on her gloved arm and the woman spoke softly to it. She then placed a red hood over his head without any protest from the bird. She had done this many times and the bird accepted it. She then made her way back to the garden.

In the garden she examined all her plants and fruit bushes as she spoke to the falcon on her arm. She closely inspected the vines that would be the centre of attention later in the day. Heavy bunches of rich, ripe grapes hung form the strong vines. These grapes did not come cheap and she had a growing list of private clients who were prepared to pay for such delicacies. Another success, she thought to herself. She had not intentionally set out to make money from her hobby but yet again, it had happened. She was being rewarded for all her hard work and effort. It seemed to come naturally now.

Beside the grapes grew a crop of healthy large Pentacles which were her husband’s own project. It was the Pentacles that had earned them their first big success and had opened many doors for them. The Pentacle Plants are what saved her husband from complete destitution after he had lost everything in the recession. They would never forget their significance and all they had to be thankful for. Her husband had learned how to grow Pentacles from seedlings and cultivated them until they were ready for harvest. They were a huge success and he had established a strong business on the back of it. Their son, also a Stone Mason took over the business some years ago and it continues to thrive. The woman strokes the large, ripe, golden Pentacles and appreciates what they have afforded them over the years. Because of the Pentacles, they are now in a very advantageous position. They are wealthy and continue to add to their wealth. They can buy anything they want and can now enjoy the fruits of their labour.

As the woman strolls through the garden she realises that she now has time to smell the flowers and enjoy her lovely home. She looks to the falcon and knows that he too understands. She is no longer young and knows that she made many sacrifices in her life to get to where she is today. She did not enjoy the freedom that many of her friends had. While they had holidayed over the years and enjoyed hectic social lives, she had been working hard. She had worked all the time her children were growing up and had studied at night while they slept. She had left them in childcare so that she could run her workshops or make her preserves. The hooded falcon is a symbol of the freedom she denied herself and the price she had to pay to get what she wanted. She knows that the world at large looks in on them and envies what they have. They do not always understand the lengths they have gone to, to achieve this apparent success.

She bought the falcon because of his predator qualities and had always wanted to learn how to handle them. She had applied herself to the training of this Falcon with the same determination and discipline she approached everything she set her mind to. She was enthralled by Falcons and had watched them in the wild on many occasions as they hovered high in the air, their eyes honed in on their quarry. Once the Falcon had set its eye on what it wanted, nothing would deter it from acquiring it. Determined and single-minded, it would swoop and triumphantly hit its target each time. Watching the Falcon at work was very symbolic for her and at times she had modelled herself on this great bird of prey whenever she wavered off her path or doubted her abilities. She thought of what the falcon would instinctively do and found she could then re-focus.

Now that her success is guaranteed it does not automatically bring freedom. It must be maintained and guarded. The contents of her house alone are worth a King’s Ransom. Should someone break in and destroy her garden, what then? As a family they are worth a lot of money and with that brings the worry about personal security. ‘Yes my lovely Falcon, you may think me free but I am as trapped just as much as you are’ she speaks softly to the bird. ‘No amount of money can buy you freedom. Money just enslaves us but I understand that and accept it, for this is the price I have paid to have this beautiful house and all that comes with it.

The woman stares at the wall around her garden and checks to see if the security cameras are working. She is unaware of the two women high up on the hillside eating a picnic on her land. She is also unaware that she is being watched. Tonight she will dine alone and be very comfortable in doing so. She will eat well and enjoy some excellent wine from the cellar and look forward to a phone call from her husband. She has not had the time to form close friendships over the years but she does not feel deprived. She enjoys her own company and relaxing in her beautiful environment. If she is not too tired, she might update her blog about the guided tour today and gives some tips on preserve making. She may be retired now but there is still always something to be done. She is happy though and very content. She couldn’t ask for anything more.

When the Nine of Pentacles appears in your Reading, you can relax, sit-back and exhale for the pressure is off you now. You have, or are on the brink of realising your goals. Your crops have matured nicely and are ripe for the picking. Your harvest is bound to be plentiful and you will have just cause to celebrate. It has all come together marvellously, maybe even better than expected. To say that you have made a success is an understatement, but both you and I know that it was hard-earned. By the way, you have done this almost single-handedly too, with very little input from others. This card can suggest that you have made many sacrifices or denied yourself freedom and spontaneity in order to achieve your goal or dream. You are not afraid of hard work even though you may miss out on fun in your life. This is all your work and you can take the credit for all your success too. A round of applause is needed. If you have made any investments then it augurs well for they have matured nicely and the return will be more than you expect.

This is a card for a mature, independent and successful business person who has spent his or her whole life working towards their goal. It speaks of self-reliance, self-discipline, self-belief and self-control. Patience and tenacity have been your constant companions along with an unwavering focus and gritty determination. Your self-control has curbed any impulsive moves or knee jerk reactions which may have stymied your success. You have managed to handle all the ups and downs by falling back on your own resources, learning from direct experience and also from your mistakes. You are a professional down to your toes and also quite a tough cookie. Nothing really phases you anymore as everything you do now has been personally tried and tested.

The Nine of Pentacles brings wonderful associations of material wealth, strong financial security, luxury, abundance and good health. Prosperity is yours in many, many ways. Your hard work has paid off and you are now in a very comfortable position, especially financially. The Nine brings you to the end of a cycle and for you it has been a journey of consistent and sustained effort. It tells of long-term goals, made at a time when you might possibly have been much younger. You may never thought you would see this day, but deep down there was always a steady confidence and self-belief. You have proved to those around you that if you want something very badly; a dream, a goal, to succeed then you can do it once you are prepared to put in the hard work and don’t expect overnight success.

The Nine of Pentacles suggests that you have made a success of your life and are now in possession of the secret ingredients of that success. By learning through experience you have unlocked the door to that magical formula and can apply it to anything you get involved in from here on in. Success breeds success and don’t you know it. With this Nine, everything in your life is flourishing and thriving especially in business and finance. Success has opened doors that would generally have remained closed to you up until now. Your name and reputation may be known in high places as you now have gained reputation and status. You may be much in demand as a result and may find it unnecessary to put you hand in your pocket on occasions. Your name and face might be worth a lot of money to others. Restaurants may prefer your patronage rather than your money as your high status presence encourages a similar clientele. Designers may ask you to endorse their clothes by offering them to you free of charge. Bank Mangers may be falling over each other to get your custom. You are a big success story and should feel very proud of your achievements.

When the Nine of Pentacles appears you no longer have to work so hard or put in so many hours. You do not have anything to prove anymore. Any work and effort done to date is thriving and flourishing and does not need as much one to one focussed attention. Things are taking care of themselves nicely without you having to worry, for you have put all the necessary aspects in place and they are secure. You now have time to turn your attention to yourself or to other interests.

The Nine of Pentacles indicates a time of concentrating on the self and indulging it. You may be rewarding yourself for all your hard work by buying expensive clothes or accessories. That Prada bag, those Jimmy Choo shoes. Well, why not? You would never have been able to justify them years ago when you were younger but can probably well afford them now and consider yourself worth it. You are successful within your own rights so you may as well show it externally too. Looking after yourself is key and trips to the Health Spa and investing in regular massages and manicures are all part of the Nine ofPentacles time. Pamper time all round.

The Nine of Pentacles may suggest that you are approaching middle-age or older and no longer see the need to rush around, wearing yourself out and being at everyone’s beck and call 24/7. Your children may be raised and the college fees paid. You can now move at a slower, more gentle pace. You are beginning to feel a peace in your life now and have the time to appreciate all that you worked so hard for. You might be enjoying your home for the first time and relish having the time to smell the roses. Your garden may bring you great joy and you desire to spend as much time in it as possible. This may be one of the hobbies you always had to put on the long finger when you were working so hard. You might become a keen gardener or grow rare specimens of plants or flowers.

The Nine can sometimes suggest a move to the countryside. You may decide to relocate from the busy city to the beauty and less hectic pace of the countryside. You have a strong attachment to the natural world and this is something you have wanted to do for a long time. You might be searching for the ideal property or site to build on. Then again, you may be on the look out for a rural holiday home now that finances are strong. You may be viewing it as another investment or as an idyllic place to rest and relax. This Nine can also imply that you are keen to find an old property to restore and would not look on this as work but rather an opportunity to indulge your natural eye for design and style.

The Nine of Pentacles brings refinement, grace, elegance and sophistication. You have a natural love of the finer things in life and the arts. You also like good food and vintage wine and quality is very important to you. Therefore you may be surrounding yourself with the beautiful things in life and getting immense pleasure out of all your possessions.

The Nine of Pentacles can indicate strong security around your possessions, money, assets and property. You have worked hard to accumulate so much and now it must be protected from opportunists. Try not to become too paranoid or you might see thieves and robbers in all. Speaking of possessions, you must guard against becoming too attached to them. There may be a tendency to cut yourself off from normal life in favour of your things. Let’s face it, you do like your own company and might prefer to sit in your lovely home, sipping your good wine in front of the fire instead of getting out to meet friends. When the Nine of Pentacles appears, The Hermit may be having too much of an influence on you. You might be spending too much time on your own and could retreat even further into the homestead if you allow yourself. Getting the balance right is important for it is a good thing to be independent, self-reliant and secure without constantly needing the company of others.

Trips and vacations to the countryside or places of beauty are strongly favoured by the Nine of Pentacles.

When it comes to Relationships, this card can represent pregnancy if found beside The Empress in a spread or an imminent birth. Check for other pregnancy and celebration cards such as the Ace of Cups, Ace of Wands, Three of Cups and any of the Pages.

A mature and independent woman may have come into your life. She will be refined, graceful and sophisticated. She will not be so ready and willing to fall in love or let you into her life. However, if you are both on the same wavelength then it could augur well for a practical, comfortable, successful and very financially sound relationship. You may not have the fireworks in your love life that the other Suits have but you wouldn’t want it any other way. Finances dominate this relationship and partners may have been chosen for their suitability. Every successful business man needs a good woman behind him and every successful business woman need a good man behind her too. If the building of a business or career is strongly indicated for one partner in the relationship, then the other partner will need to be in full support of this and accept the sacrifices that will have to be made as a couple. You may not see your partner very often during the hard work years. Your relationship will need to be very strong and commitment to each other and the goal a guarantee. This is equally applicable if both partners are career ambitious.

The Nine of Pentacles can suggest retirement or vacation. The effort and hard work put into your relationship over the years has paid off. You can now enjoy your retirement together with deep respect and regard for each other instead of dreading the constant company of each other. Both of you enjoy the good things in life and all the trappings that money can buy. You can now catch up on all those times when your denied yourself treats and luxury. Time to book your retirement holiday; perhaps a luxury cruise or the Orient Express. Make sure to book only the best of hotels and restaurants. Why not travel first class too? You deserve it.

The Nine of Pentacles is a strong card for success in relationships but it may not be everybody’s cup of tea or idea of a perfect relationship. It is a relationship based on equally ambitious partners who are very self-disciplined and have strong priorities. They may have made many sacrifices over the years to get where they are today but they are more than happy to have done it.

Obviously this is a very positive card when it comes to Career or Business. It is a Card for a very strong and professional Business Person or Business. You have worked extremely hard to get to this stage and more than likely started with very little. You can sit back now and look at what it has grown into. At long last all the effort you have put into building up your business has paid off and you can enjoy all the financial rewards. Your crops have been harvested and much money has been made as a result of your sustained efforts. Your business is thriving because it was built on solid foundations.

Like the Pentacles growing all over the wall in this Card your business may have grown and spread or new businesses may have sprouted from the original one. This Card may suggest retirement or that you no longer have to work as hard as you did in the past. It is a time to enjoy the fruits of your labour. You may be ready to step back from your business and let your children take over. Your business will be in good hands for you have taken care of every last detail. You should be very proud of yourself and take a well-earned break.

However, being a Pentacles Card it is unlikely that retirement years will be spent sitting around the garden all day long. It is highly likely you have a hobby or two and are eager to spend more time developing them. Because you now have the midas touch, it is quite probable you will find yourself back in a business once more without consciously seeking to. If so, it will be a relaxed business which operates around you, your life and the time you have to give it and not the other way round. It really is very hard for you to do absolutely nothing after all. Do make sure to get some rest for you no longer have to slave away.

The Nine of Pentacles is a really wonderful Card to appear in a Reading and brings great reassurance.

Reversed

Living Beyond Your Means, Reckless Spending, All Work and No Play, Materialistic, Money Mad, Coarse, Lack of Grace and Sophistication, Superficial, Tacky, Bling, Cheap, Airs and Graces, No Taste/Stlye, Inability to Relax, Working too Hard, Anti Social Working Hours, Lack of Discipline, Wanting it all but not Wanting to Work for it, Get Rich Quick Schemes, Disappointment, Lack of Success, Failure to Progress, Lack of Self-Discipline/Self-Control, Impatience, Marrying for Money, Keeping Up Appearances, Security Breaches, Lack of Security, Lack of Protection, Damage to Property or Possessions, Theft, Cons, Scams, Swindling, Fortune Hunters, Dishonesty, Deceit, Cover-Ups, Termination, Miscarriage, Prostitution, Menopause,

When the Nine of Pentacles Reverses it can suggest that you are living beyond your means. You may be better at spending money than earning it. This is a warning for you to pull back and address your problems as you probably have built up substantial debts at this stage and maxed several credit cards. You are being irresponsible with your money and living recklessly, throwing it around and for what? To impress people? It’s a case of ordering a bottle of expensive champagne when a simple bottle of wine would have sufficed, buying more designers clothes that you don’t need and driving a flashy car that costs a fortune. Where do you think all the money is going to come from? Then again you may live your life with the attitude of ‘let’s eat, drink and be merry for tomorrow we die’. There is also a chance that it’s not your money you’re spending. You may be funded by your parents or have been left an inheritance and think that money grows on trees. Regardless, you need to exert some discipline as the well will run dry at some stage.

Where taste and style is concerned, there is a tendency to follow every trend whether it suits or not. Clothes may be expensive but gaudy and tacky. Like a lotto winner gone overboard and mad, bling may be the order of the day as you like others to see how much money you have to throw around. Unfortunately, you may end up looking a bit trashy so remember ‘less is more’ and you will not go wrong. The thing is that money cannot buy sophistication, refinement or grace if you just don’t have it, and a wardrobe load of designer clothes and heaps of sparkling jewellery won’t cover it up either. You can work on it though by taming down the volume and being more discreet. Then again, you may have all the style, grace and sophistication but carry an air of superiority and look down your nose at others. You may be full of ‘airs and graces’ , conceited and way too self-absorbed with your own importance and image. Like many so-called celebrities, you may be famous just for being famous.

The Nine of Pentacles can also point to the opposite and suggest you are working too hard, allowing precious little time for leisure, social activities or relaxation. It can imply that you are a workaholic. You may not need the money but continue to let work dominate your life. There can be an inability to relax even though you have earned it. It can be all work and no play. On the other hand, you may have no choice in the matter. You may have to work every hour possible just to cover your overheads and pay the bills. This is especially true if you are trying to pay for a lifestyle you can’t really afford. Unlike the first instance where you may be guilty of spending money you don’t have, in this case, you are spending everything you have earned and must keep earning more and more just to keep up.

You may have set your sights high, gone for the big house, flashy car, expensive holidays and designer clothes. You might also be putting your kids through private schools or funding college. Status and prestige may be more important to you than free time or relaxation, so if keeping up appearances is important to you, then you will be happy to grind yourself into the ground. If this is your personal choice, so be it, but you may also be under pressure from your partner or spouse to maintain a certain standard of living. You will need to reflect on why you do it and what your priorities are. If someone gave you an option to walk away and live a more simple, less showy life, would you jump at it?

Following on from the above associations for the Nine of Pentacles Reversed, we also see the all too common dilemmas so many well-meaning and good intentioned people have found themselves in as a result of the recession. A huge number of people made a lot of money during the boom years. They studied hard, graduated and began top salary careers with large bonuses, perks and company cars. They began relationships with similar career-oriented ambitious partners. The money poured in and the spending was frenzied. Banks were literally throwing money at them and pre-approving large mortgages before they had even been asked for. Big properties were bought and sometimes a holiday home. Then there was the pressure from peers and banks to buy more investment properties for rental purposes. When the crash came, jobs disappeared overnight along with the perks and bonuses. If they were lucky, they had a company car that was just taken back but most had probably invested in a top of the range model and were still liable for the huge monthly repayments. Property prices plummeted and spiralled into negative equity but their mortgage repayments went up due to interest rate increases. So, they were left in their big luxury houses, with the fancy car or jeep outside and wardrobes full of designer clothes. They also had the mortgages on their rental properties which were now all vacant because of job losses. The holiday home was mortgaged up to the hilt aswell. There was one big problem though, there was no money to pay for any of it anymore. They couldn’t sell because of negative equity and they couldn’t pay their mortgages because of no money. They couldn’t get a job to save their life. What a mess. So the Nine of Pentacles Reversed very appropriately highlights these wretched situations. It hit a certain sector of the population dramatically. The nouveau riche very quickly became the nouveau poor. Was it a crime for them to want to improve their standard of living or did they get their just rewards because of greed. Many worked very hard to afford their lifestyles, putting in years of study and training but others appeared to move too fast, too soon and became rich overnight.

The Nine of Pentacles Reversed can also suggest that you have been very ambitious and have worked your way up the ladder in your career or business. Your goal was success and financial freedom and you have given years of your life to the pursuit of it making many personal sacrifices along the way. You have succeeded in your mission, reached your goal and realised your dream. The money is now there and plenty of it but you have lost touch with life somewhere along the way and have disconnected. Appearing more machine-like than human, your personality may be non-existent. You may only be able to converse in facts, figures and profit. Everything is weighed and measured. You know the price of everything but the value of nothing. You have what you worked so hard to achieve, but now that it is here, you don’t know exactly what to do with it. It is the accumulation of money that excites and interests you but not the spending of it. You may buy expensive properties and drives top of the range cars but they bring you no joy and you spend very little time in them. Your holiday home on the mediterranean may lie vacant each year because you do not get the whole thing about vacations and the need for them. What a waste.

On the other hand, you may now be viewing your great wealth as a curse rather than a blessing. The garden walls that acted as security in the Upright Nine may now seem like a prison as your very wealth and success have robbed you of freedom of movement and social associations. You might become paranoid about security and theft.

The Nine of Pentacles Reversed can bring dishonesty where money is concerned. Deceit, cons, scams and swindling may be high on the list. Look out for the King of Cups Reversed and the Reversed Magician as there may be professional criminals working their way into your company. They may be hard to recognise by appearances as they are well organised and hide behind suits and sharp white collars. These are the kind who want everything that money can buy but do not want to work for it. They will be after big sums of money, massive fraud or theft of luxury or collectors items. You must guard your assets and possessions well for someone may be out to take them from you.

This Card also refers to property and land. If you are in the process of making a purchase, make sure you check things thoroughly, go over all documentation and fine print. Carry out all the necessary searches and surveys regardless of how genuine and sincere the sellers may be as something may not be right, or is being concealed from you. Remember, the Snail in the imagery of this Card and how he seemed out-of-place in the beautifully manicured garden. There may be something out-of-place with your purchase too. Regarding property there is also the threat of damage as a result of vandalism or storm.

The discipline that was so strong in the Upright may be sadly lacking when the Nine of Pentacles falls into Reverse. You may not have the tenacity, determination or staying power to follow your plans or goals through to completion. You may be too impatient to see results and as a result become impulsive and take ill-advised action. You may fail to get the result you had hoped for. Success may be achieved but not to the level of your satisfaction. You may pull out of college too soon or fail to get further qualifications that will seal your future. There is a danger of abandoning your long-term plan in favour of a get rich quick scheme that is bound to fail. Nothing can replace good old hard work and slow but steady progress but you do not have the patience for that.

Your wealth may have been gained by underhand or illegal means as we now see the wealthy drug barons living it up on the Mediterranean secure behind their high walls and armed guards. What price have you paid to get where you are today? The truth may be hidden behind all the designer clothes, fancy cars and sprawling house. Prostitution can sometimes be suggested by this Nine especially if accompanied by The Devil Card and King of Cups Reversed.

If you have made financial investments for your future, you may cash them in too soon or they fail to mature as well as you had hoped for when the Nine of Pentacles Reverses. You may have to sacrifice some of your plans for retirement or may not be able to retire as planned. The recession may have had a very negative impact on your investments, and depending on surrounding Cards, you may not be able to retire at all.

If you have reached a certain age, you may feel very disappointed at how things have worked out for you. You might be comparing your life to those around you of a similar age. You may see others as having an easy life or being well taken care of in their middle years while you are still struggling. Everyone seems to have it better than you. You had probably presumed when younger, a certain lifestyle you would have when older. Yes, you would have to accept that you were getting older, ageing even, but there would be a lot of positives that would go with it. You would be able to relax more, take it easy, do your own thing. You may have envisaged travel or lunching with friends. Possibly taking up golf or art classes and getting your hair blow dried every week. You would have swapped your trendy clothes for well-cut tailored key pieces that flattered and hung well. You probably planned on tinkering around in your garden or having the house revamped. What a let down and how wrong you could have been. Instead you are stuck in your boring job, eking out a mere existence, and having nothing to look forward to. You can’t afford to get you hair cut or buy nice clothes and you don’t know the last time you were able to sit in your garden. You wouldn’t be able to buy a golf ball let alone pay for a round, and holidays are a thing of the past. Your mortgage should have been paid off years ago but then there was the divorce and having to buy a new property after the money was split. You will have to work into your seventies to pay it off and you feel old, dull and dreary already. At your age, you shouldn’t have all these things to be worrying about and you feel hard done by.

Then again, your health may not be great when the Nine of Pentacles Reverses. You may not be looking after your body the way you should. Nutrition may be poor and you might be lacking in physical exercise. You may be too lazy but then again, may not have the time to give it your proper attention. As this Card can suggest Menopause, there may be hormonal imbalances causing you to feel pretty low or ill. Look for the High Priestess Reversed and The Reversed Moon for more evidence of this. You may be trying to keep up the hectic pace you always did, but now must try to slow down a little. If The Empress Reversed appears in the Reading close to the Nine of Pentacles Reversed, it can suggest unnatural growths, so women should ensure they keep appointments for breast checks and smear tests.

Where Relationships are concerned, you may be chasing a certain lifestyle and seek prosperous partners in order to access the wealth you desire. You want all the trappings of being rich but are not willing to put in the hard work to earn it yourself. You want to be looked after by a partner who is prepared to spoil and pamper you. You or your partner may be high maintenance and are costing a fortune. Partners are chosen for their bank balance and property portfolio. You may choose to marry for money and not love.

As a couple, you may be financially sound but lack closeness and intimacy. You may marry for status or connections. There is a good chance that this is very acceptable to both of you. This is a throw back to the days of arranged marriages and especially where important families or royalty were concerned. Dowries, titles and land changed hands when the marriage was consummated. Then again you may be working so hard and career focussed, you do not have any time for relationships. However, this may be a deliberate attempt by you to avoid intimacy. You may need to take a close look at yourself in order to understand why.

All may not be well in a relationship when the Nine of Pentacles Reverses. Again, you must look to surrounding Cards. Appearances can be deceiving. Outwardly, people may see you as a couple who have everything going for them and want for nothing. On the inside there may be boredom or disinterest that is masked by material trappings. You may have too much time on your hands or feel trapped by your environment as you discover that money cannot buy you happiness.

Someone may be more interested in your money than you. Romance may move too soon with marriage proposals popping up before you know it. This Card is strongly linked to women and especially women of a certain age. However, it can also represent a mature man of a certain age. When this Card Reverses and you are financially wealthy, you must be on your guard against fortune hunters and seducers who will tell you anything you want to hear until they get a ring on your finger. If it all looks too good to be true; a young man or woman declaring undying love and you are old enough to be his or her grandmother or grandfather, then it probably is. Look out for the Reversed Knight of Cups for he is an expert at seduction.

Where pregnancy is concerned, the Nine of Pentacles Reversed can suggest a termination or miscarriage. Then again, if you or someone you know is close to full term it can represent the actual birth, as in not been pregnant anymore. However, you may have either left it too late to have children or chose a career over starting a family.

Where Work is concerned, you may be a workaholic and just do not know when to quit. You may have reached the top of the career ladder but are still not satisfied. Money is all that matters and we see the Pentacles dominate the top of the Card when it Reverses compared to the Upright, where the Pentacles are nearer the ground while the woman looks away. This symbolises her interest in things other than the material world. You may have no outside interests or hobbies. Work is all there is and you have lost balance in your life.

Then again, you may be very ambitious but work shy. You may seek a short cut or easy access route to the top by making a play for the boss’s son or daughter. You may even go after the boss if you think you are in with a chance.

Career-wise, things may not have gone according to plan. You may have lost your high salaried job and are finding it difficult to adjust your lifestyle accordingly. Then again, you may not have put in the effort that was required and now find yourself falling behind and unable to keep up. Success eludes you at every hands turn and you may feel like a total failure when you compare yourself to others. You may have lost sight of your goals or long-term plans, or possibly got distracted. You lacked self-control and self-discipline when it mattered the most. You may find it impossible to get further in your career. Then again, you may have achieved your goal or dream career and find it not what you expected it to be. You may resent the amount of time you have to give to work which takes you away from the things you really want to do. You may walk away from a highly paid job in favour of something less demanding.

The Nine of Pentacles Reversed can also suggest anti-social working hours or working 24/7.

Your Business has not developed the way you wanted it to and years later still find yourself working all the hours god gave in order to keep it in the black. It may be bleeding you dry on many levels but not giving you the lifestyle you had hoped for. You may have invested all your money and have little to show for it. You may have poorly planned for your business or took short cuts which have backfired on you. There may be big losses. Your business may have a ‘flash in the pan’ success but can not sustain it in the long run. However, your business may just be slow to take off, and given time, will be a success as long as you put the effort in and remain patient. Slow but steady progress may be all you can hope for at present.

When the Nine of Pentacles Reverses, your business may be very successful but gain comes from illegal dealings and unprofessional practices. You may be making money out of the misery and suffering of others. Tax evasion, fraud and embezzlement are all associated with this Nine when it Reverses.

If in business, it is important to do some spot checks in all departments to ensure everything is in order and everyone can be trusted. There may be some underhand business going on or dishonesty, so check accounts and stock inventory.

The Nine of Pentacles Reversed can indicate not being able to retire when you want or deciding to work on past retirement age. You may be feeling your age and find work a struggle.

*****When we next visit the Pentacles in Card Ten, we will see if they have managed to hold onto their success and wealth or has it all disappeared again? Will they be back at the Five of Pentacles, down and out or will they be living the life of luxury and adding to their existing wealth. Are they truly a success story? How long can they keep it going for? Is it possible for them to become even more successful? We shall find out all the answers very soon, for like the rest of the Suits, they are nearing the end of their cycle, their journey through the Minor Arcana, and the Universe will demand results and answers from all of them.

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